Circular independent needle knitting machine



P 1944- H. H. HOLMES ErAL- 2,358,641

'CIRCULAR INDEPENDENT NEEDLE KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 21. 1945 s Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.

Sept. 19, 1944. H, HOLMES r 2,358,641

CIRCULAR INDEPENDENT NEEDLE KNITTING MACHINE Fil'ed Dec. 3 1; 194: s Sheets-Sheet 2 I 3O -v nlon;

- M www Whey v Sept .19, 1944. H. H. HOLMES mu. 2,358,641 CIRCULAR INDEPENDENT NEEDLE KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 21, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept. 19, 1944 CIRCULAR INDEPENDENT NEEDLE KNITTING MACHINE 7 Henry Harold Holmes and Alfred Percy Saunders, Leicester, England, assignors, to Wildt and Company Limited, Leicester, England, a British company Application December 21, 1943, Serial No. 515,142 In Great Britain January 5, 1943.

13 Claims. ((11. cs-1 4) This invention relates to circular independent needle knitting machines, and has reference to knitting machines of this type furnished with picker mechanisms for automatically narrowing and widening fabric for pouches, e. g. heel and toe pouches, produced by reciprocating knitting.

The present invention is advantageously applicable to machines of the kind adapted to operate periodically with rotary reciprocatory motion as well as with rotary motion for the purpose of producing tubular knitted fabric or articles with pouches, such, for example, as seamless hosiery with heel and toe pouches, the picker mechanisms being rendered operative during the rotary reciprocatory motion for the purpose of automatically narrowing and widening such pouches.

The invention is further advantageously ap-' plicable and indeed is intended for application principally to circular knitting machines of the double axially opposed needle cylinder type, and especially to machines of this type furnished with double-endedlatch needles and associated sliders. whereby needles can be transferred from one cylinder to the other forchanging the character of the knitting, as, for example, from plain to rib, or from one rib combination to another, or for producing purl or fancy rib stitch effects, with all of which those famiilar with the art are well acquainted. V V

In machines equipped with pickermechanisms of conventional character and arrangement the needles rendered inactive during reciprocating knitting are usually caused to take up a clearing or rest position, known as the heeling height in i a seamless hosiery machine. In a machine of the type employing latch needles the oldloops are located below the latches when the needles take up this position. Moreover, in a machine which operates with both rotary and reciprocatory motion, as aforesaid, the needles are divided into two groups each containing about half of the full complement of needles, and for reciprocating knitting the needles of one group are moved seriatim to the aforesaid clearing or rest position while for narrowing the needles of the other group which remain in position to knit are in fluenced by the picker mechanism so that one needle is moved to the clearing or rest position at each stroke of reciprocating knitting, and, for Widening, the needles thus previously rendered inactive are brought, back to the knitting posi tion one or two at a time, i. e. at each stroke of reciprocating knitting. knitting machine the needles which are moved In a seamless hosiery seriatim to and temporarily remain in the clearing or rest position'are referred to as the instep needles and those which function "during reciprocating knitting are referred to as the heel and toe needles. The movement of latch needles to the said clearing or rest position in the conventional manner sometimes produces disadvantageous results, such as in, pattern producing machines and wrap striping machines, interruption of the pattern effect for at least a partial course, when circular knitting is resumed, which impairs the appearance ofthe resultant knitted fabric or articles. Also in clearing the loops and bringing needles down to asatisfactory low level for needle selection, theloops are positioned under the latches which are requiredto be open; this restricts the low level and at the sametime imparts undue strain on both latches and loops.

According to the invention disclosed in prior United States Patent No. 2,313,642, the object of which was to improve circular knitting machines of the type concerned with respect to. the disposition of the needles in an inactive position during reciprocatory knitting in order to obviate disadvantages such as those aforesaid, provision ismade for enabling needles which are to be rendered inactive during the formation of pouch fabric by reciprocating knitting to assume a nonknitting position .in which the old loops on these needles are located in the hooks of the needles, and a picker mechanism is provided which is so constructed and arranged as to be adaptedfto a movable cam adapted in one position to. enable all of the needles to-clear and knit and,- in another position, to enable the said needles to remain in the knocking-over position, in conjunction with a construction and arrangement of the picker mechanism in which the narrowing picker or pickers is or are adapted to cause appropriate needles to remain in the aforesaid position during a narrowing actionwhile the remainder are caused to knit, and the widening picker or pickers is or are adapted to causethe said appropriate needles to resume knitting during a widening action. I V

In one arrangement wherein the needles are divided into two groups as hereinbefore described, the saidmovable camlis conveniently arranged in advance of the knitting cam system and when such cam is rendered inoperative, preparatory to a change being made from circular knitting to reciprocating knitting, the needles of both groups are located in the knocking-over position, to which position they are automatically moved by the forward stitch cam, and thereafter, during narrowing and widening actions, the picker mechanisms functions to determine the positions of the needles of the group required for reciprocating knitting while the needles of their other group remain wholly inactive. V

The prior invention aforesaid also includes the provision, in association with the needles which are to function for reciprocating knitting, of

'picker or pickers is or are adapted to move appropriate jacks out of the range of a cam or cams associated with said picker or pickers whereby the corresponding needles are permitted to re- 7 main in the non-knitting position while the remaining-jacks are acted upon by said cam or "cams soas to enable the associated needles to clear and knit, and the widening picker or pickers is or are adapted to bring the same jacksintothe range of the said'cam or cams, or into the range of another cam or cams associated with the widening picker or pickers, and thence into the range of the cam or cams associated with the narrowing picker or pickers suchwise as to enable the corresponding needles to clear and knit.

In a particular example of the said prior invention in whichthe knitting camsystem served for both circular and reciprocatory knitting, there'are Provided guard cams l1, l8 which are formed with slight elevations 25 whereby, after the needles have knocked over, the tension on the 'loops located in the hooks of these needles V is relieved. However, during reciprocatory knitting as'the inactive needles go through the knitting cam system they revert to the knocking-over position. It is found in practice that this strains the 'loops'on these needles'and tends to impair the appearance of the joins between the narrowed and widened sections of the pouches.

The present invention comprises an improvement in the cam system described and claimed in the prior specification with the object of obviating the aforesaid strain;

In order that the improvement in the cam system concerned may be more clearly understood and the present invention readily carried into practical effect, a specific example of said invention as applied to a circular knitting machine of the superimposed rotary needle cylinder type for knitting seamless hosiery will now be described "with reference to'the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, wherein,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of so much of a pattern producing machine of this type as is necessary to illustrate the invention, and Figures 2 and 2A together constitute a'developed view of the cam systems and picker mechanism of the machine as seen from inside the cam boxes thereof.

In Figure 1 the bottom or plain cylinder and the superimposed top or rib cylinder of the machine are shown at 2 and 3 respectively. The machine is furnished with double-ended latch needles such as 4 having in association therewith bottom sliders 5 and top sliders (not shown).

Each of the bottom sliders 5 is provided with a jacks to be acted upon by thepickers, and cams normal knitting butt 5a and a transfer butt 5b. For the sake of simplicity in illustration the top cam box has been omitted, although the opposed bottom cam box is indicated at 6.

Referring to Figures 2 and 2A, the main knitting cam system in the bottom cam box 6 comprises a withdrawable clearing cam I, a stitch cam 8 which is combined integrally with a lower guard cam 9 disposed beneath it, a centre feed cam 10, common clearing cams H and I2, and forwardand reverse raising cams l3 and I4 ree spectively. The cam. H is used in conjunction with th clearing cam I during circular knitting, whereas'during reciprocatory knitting the cam ll becomes a forward clearing cam for use in conjunction with the reverse clearing cam I2. The direction of rotation of the opposed cylinders within the stationary cam boxes during circular knitting is indicated by the arrows A. The clearing cam I is movably mounted, e. g. on a spring controlled bolt, so as to enable it to be fully'withdrawn from the track of the ordinary knitting butts 5a by appropriate control from the timing mechanism of the machine preparatory to a change being made from circular to reciprocatory knitting. This clearing cam is withdrawn after the last full revolution of the cylinders so that all the needles in the bottom cylinder 2 are located at a non-knitting position determined by the height of the raising cams l3 and M. It is important to note that in this particular exam le the non-knitting position is not the knockin -over position, as in the prior United States specification aforesaid, but is a position somewhat higher, than this in which the old loops on those needles which are to be rendered inactive during the formation of pouch fabric by reciprocatory knitting are nevertheless, still retained around the needle stems (somewhat below the hooks of the needles) without being cleared. Left-hand and right-hand guard cams I5 and 16 are provided above the raising cams I3 and M respectively. The main stitch cam 8 and the guard cam 9 are, 'of course, also withdrawn at an appropriate time preparatory to reciprocatory knitting.

The auxiliary knitting cam system. comprises forward and reverse stitch cams I1 and I8, and, on the outside of these, pivotally mounted forward and reverse'clearing cams l9 and 20 and fixed forward and reverse guard cams 2| and 22. At 23 is indicated a common guard disposed beneath the stitch cams l1 and Hi. This auxiliary cam system is located below and in alignment vertically with the main cam system. In this example each of the bottom sliders 5 is furnished with an additional knitting butt 50. Thos butts 50 on the heel and toe group of bottom sliders are for engagement with the auxiliary cam system. Below the bottom sliders, moreover, are provided jacks 24, those corresponding with the heel and toe group of such sliders functioning as picking jacks, and the jacks of the whole series lbeing usable as selectors for patterning purposes. Each jack 24 is furnished with an upper butt 24a for action upon by the narrowing' and widening pickers .as described in the SPBcification aforesaid, and also with a lower butt 24b for purposes hereinafterset forth. In addition, the said jacks are provided with mitred extensions 240 (Figure .1.) which are normally located behind the sliders as indicated in dotand-dash lines so that the additional -butts 5c are normally projected from the corresponding tricks or grooves 2a in the bottom cylinder 2. 'Parallel tracks B and C are provided below the auxiliary cam system for reception of the upper butts 24a on the picking jacks 24 to retain the latter either in the normal position or in the position to which the jacks aredepressed by the narrowing pickers Z5 and 25, as described in the aforesaid specification, and gaps 2! and. 28 are pro vided at the picker locations to enable the butts 24a to be diverted from one track to the other as determined by the picking action. For convenience in the following further description the track B will hereinafter be referred to as the active track, whil the track 0 will be referred to as the inactive track."

As previously alluded to, the jacks 24 also function as selectors for patterning purposes. In this connection each jack is initially provided, as shown in Figure 1, with a full complement of patterning butts 24d which are broken away according to patterning requirements and adapted for co-operation with a bank of presser levers 29. The butts b are adapted to co-operate with a jack raising cam for producing patterning and half-round effects as explained more fully at a later stage in this description. A jack 24 pressed in by a lever 29 will be moved suchwise as to remove its butt 241) from the range of the raising cam 30, whereas a jack required for patterning'will be unaffected by a lever, thereby enabling it to be raised by the said cam. For heel and toe worka presser cam 3| is provided for action upon those jacks 24 corresponding to the heel and toe group of bottom sliders. I H

It is convenient here to mention that in the top cam box of the machine there is provided a movable clearing cam 32 and also a Welt camthe last full revolution of-the cylinders 2 and '3 r all the needles in the bottom cylinder 2 will be located in the aforesaid non-knitting position. During the subsequent narrowing action the jacks '24 acted upon by th narrowing pickers 25 and 26 are pushed-down to the full line position indicated in Figure 1 so as to remove their mitred extensions 240 from behind the corresponding sliders 5 thereby permitting the latter by reason of the flexibility of their stems to mov backwards in their tricks 2o thus causing their additional butts 50 to avoid operative engagement with the auxiliary cam system. The upper butts Mo on the jacks so pushed down are diverted from th upper. i. e. active, track B to the lower (inactive) track C through the gaps 21 and 28. 'A few of these butts in the course of being so diverted ar shown beneath the picker 25 in Figure 2A. The jacks not acted upon by the narrowing pickers remain in their normal position with ers .15. stillprojected, whereby on the forward strokes these butts pass along in the track D and ride "up the .forward clearing cam I19 so that the ordinary knittingbutts 511 on the same sliders pass over the common clearing cam II to clear th knitted loops from the latches of the corresponding .needlesand are thereupon brought into contact with the centre feed cam ll] of the main cam system, the projected additional butts 5c meanwhile passing above th auxiliary reverse stitch cam l8. As the result of this, the sliders 5 are pressed downwards'by action of the centre feed cam upon the ordinary knitting butts 5a so thatthe additional butts 5c ar caused to engage the auxiliary forward stitch cam IT. The associated needles are thus caused'to knit, after which the said additional butts pass under the auxiliary reverse clearing cam 20 which, being pivoted, automatically swing-s out of their way,

and the butts ride over a slight elevation 2 la on the auxiliary reverse guard cam 2| so that the tension on th stitches is relieved. Meanwhile the appropriate butts 5a ride up the cam 13 to a height at which the corresponding needles are above knocking-over. pointso that they still re tain their loops but do not clear. On the reverse strokes the remaining projected butts 5c ride over the auxiliary reverse clearing cam 20 as the result of which the corresponding ordinary knit-ting butts 5a are caused to pass over the clearing cam l2 (see the slider at 5 in Figure 2A) into contact with the centre feed cam l0. Thereupon the said ordinary knitting butts by reason of their engagement with the underside of the centre feed cam II! are depressed so that the corresponding sliders are pressed down as at 5 to bring their additional butts 5c into contact with the reverse stitch cam l8, the associated needles being there by caused to knit whereafter the said additional butts pass underthe auxiliary reverse clearing cam H), which automatically swings out of their way, and over a slight elevation 2211 on the auxiliary reverse guard cam 22 so that the tension on the stitches is relieved. At this stage the butts 5a are, of course, raised by'the cam 14 once again to position the needles in the non-knitting position. Upon a change being made to widening the jacks 24 previously depressed by the narrowing pickers 25and 26 are .sequentially restored to their normal position by the widening picker 34 so that their butts 24a are diverted from the inactive track C to the active track 'B,..and their extensions 240 are forced behind the associated sliders. thereby projecting the corresponding additional fbutts 50., as .a re sult of which the relevant needles resume knitting with the .otherneedles of the heel and toe group in the manner described. A rib or like the additional'butts 56 on thecorresponding slid- I5 formation 35 is provided above the upper track B for engagement with the extensions 240 on the packs so that the latter are held back in their tricks. As willbe understood, after the clearing cam I has been withdrawn the sliders associated with the instep group of needles are non-knitting position during the passage of the corresponding ordinary knitting butts through the main cam system, so that the loops held thereon are not strained "In connection with the making of a heel or toepouch, it ought also to be explainedthat the jacks '24 of the instep group have no patterning butts 24d at the level of the'presser cam 3| (the appropriate butts at this level having previously been broken away) The butts 24b of these jacks therefore contact cam 42 with the result that the said jacks are withdrawn to an extent sufilcient to position their upper butts 24a in the inactive track C. The heel .and toe group. of the jacks, ;n the other hand, have the patterning butts 24d at the level ofthe cam 3'l left. on. Asia consequencathe cam 31, by pressing upon the last'mentioned patterning butts, causes the butts 24b on the heel and toe jacks to be withdrawn into the cylinder so that they will miss the cam 42 and the upper butts of the heel and toe jacks will therefore remain in the active track B.- The cam 42 is then withdrawn, leaving the pickers to control the heel and toe, i. e. picking, jacks in the manner hereinbefore explained. V v

It will, of course, be understood that in a pattern producing knitting machine such as that illustrated the jacks 24 forming part of the picker mechanism are also utilized for pattern! ing purposes.

. needles form stitches and knock-over.

,. Th bottom cam box also includes two cams 36 and 31 for action at appropriately different times upon the additional knitting butts 50. A cam. 38 serves, by action upon the transfer butts b, to lower the bottom sliders 5 in advance of cams 35'and 3'l. Now when selected needles from the bottom cylinder are to be transferred upwardly to the top cylinder, the presser of the requisite lever 29 functions to press into their tricks all those patterning'jacks not required while the remainder of said jacks are left out and raised by cooperation of their lower butts 241) with the cam 30 so' that the additional'butts 5c. of the corresponding sliders will be brought into contact with tho cam, 36. As a..consequence the normal knitting butts 5 aof the sliders will be directed into .contact with a raising cam 3 9 which in turn raises the sliders to land their transfer butts 5b ontoa fixed transfer cam 40 at track F. d For needle selection, the cam 36 is withdrawn, and after selection of the patterning jacks those required'will be raised by the cam '30 to enable the additional butts 5c of corresponding sliders to be acted upon by the cam 31 thereby effecting a separation of the normal knitting butts So as shown on the cam 4| at the right-hand side of Figure 2. V

The cam 42 hereinbefore mentioned is for action upon the butts 24b to withdraw the jacks 24 to a low level at appropriate times. A guard cam 43 is associated with the cam 42.

What weclaim then is: '1. In combination, in a circular knitting ma- "chine of the kind'adapted to operate periodically with rotary reciprocatory motion as well as with rotary motion for the purpose of producing tubular knitted fabric with pouches, a series of independent needles, knitting butts in association with said needles; a main knitting cam system for action upon said butts for circular knitting, said cam system including a knocking-over cam adapted to be rendered inactive, as regards knitting, during reciprocatory. knitting so as to enable inactive needles to go-through the system withoutreverting to the knocking-over position, an auxiliary knitting cam system for reciprocatory knitting, a-series of additional butts in association with the needles intended to be active during reciprocatory knitting, jacks adapted normally to position the additional butts for engagement with the auxiliary knitting cam system, and picker mechanism having narrowing and widening pickers for controlling the jacks.

and thereby automatically narrowing and widening fabric for pouches, the construction and arrangement (being such that additional butts corresponding with jacks influenced by the narrowing pickers are permitted to assume an inoperative position so as to avoid engagement with the auxiliary cam system and when the same jacks are influenced by the widening picker, the corresponding butts are re-positioned for engagement with the last mentioned cam system.

2. In combination, in a circular knitting machine of the kind adapted to operate periodically with rotary reciprocatory motion aswell as with rotary motion for the purpose of producing tubular knitted fabric witlrpouches, a plain needle cylinder, an axially opposed rib needle cylinder, a series of double-ended needles for operation in said cylinders, sliders for operating said needles and enabling sam to be transferred from one cylinder to the othensaid sliders having thereon knitting butts, transfer butts and, on. at least those sliders corresponding to the needles intended to be active during reciprocatory knitting, a series of additional butts, a main knitting cam system for circular knitting only, said. cam system including a knocking-over cam adapted to .be rendered inactive, as regards knitting, during re- ,ciprocatory "knitting so as to enable inactive needles to go through the system without reverting to th knocking-over position, an auxiliary knitting cam syste m for reciprocatory knitting, 'jacks' adapted normally to position the additional butts for engagement with the auxiliary knittingcam system, and picker mechanism having narrowing and widening pickers for controlling the jacks and thereby automatically narrowing and widening fabric for pouches/the construction and arrangement being such that additional butts corresponding with jacks influenced by the narrowing pickers are permitted to assume an inoperative position so as to avoid engagement with the auxiliary cam system and .ment in the direction of the cylinder axis of the machine.

4. In combination, in a circular knitting machine of the kind adapted to operate periodically with rotary reciprocatory motion as well as with rotary motion for the purpose of producing tubular knitted fabric with pouches, a series of independent needles, knitting butts in association with said needles, a main knitting cam system for action upon said butts for circular knitting, said scam. system including a knocking-over cam adapted to be rendered inactive, as regards knitting, during reciprocatory knitting so as to enable inactive needles to go through the system without reverting to the knocking-over position, an auxiliary knitting cam system for reciprocatory knitting, a series of additional butts in, association with the needles intended to be active during reciprocatory knitting, jacks adapted normally to position the additional butts for engagement with th auxiliary knitting cam system, and picker mechanism having narrowing and widening pickers for controlling the jacks and therebyautomatically narrowing and widening fabric for pouches, the construction and arrangement being such that additional butts corresponding with jacks influenced by the narrowing pickers are permitted to assume an inop erative position so as to avoid engagement with th auxiliary cam system and when the same. jacks are influenced by the widening picker, the corresponding butts are re-positioned for en-' gagement with the last mentioned cam. system, and a part of the main knitting cam system being adapted to co-operate with the auxiliary cam system, when the aforesaid knocking-over cam is rendered inactive, to effect the knitting movements of the active needles as determined by the picker system.

In combination, in a circular knitting machine of the kind adapted to operate periodically with rotary reciprocatcry motion as well as with rotary motion for the purpose of producing tubular knitted fabric with pouches, a series of independent needles, knitting butts in association with said needles, a main knitting cam. system for action'upon said butts for circular knitting,

said cam system including a knocking-over cam.

adapted to be rendered inactive, as regards knitting, during reciprooatory knitting so as to enable inactive needles to 'go through the system without reverting to the knocking-over position, an auxiliary knitting cam system for reciprocat'ory knitting, parts provided with additional'butts in association with the needles intended to be active during reciprocatory knitting, jacks adapt-- ed normally to position the additional butts fdr engagement with the auxiliary knittingcam system, and picker mechanism having narrowing and widening pickers for controlling the'jacks and thereby automatically narrowing and widening fabric for pouches, the jacks being formed with extensions which normally extend. behind the parts on which the additional butts are provided so as to project the said butts for engagement with'the auxiliary cam system, and the construction and arrangement being such that when the with rotary reciprocatory motion as well as withrotary motion for the purpose of producing. tubular knitted fabric with pouches, a rotary plain needle cylinder, a fixed bottom cam box surrounding said cylinder, asuperimposed rotary rib needle cylinder, a series of double-ended needles for operation in said cylinders, sliders for operating said needles and enabling same to be transferred from one cylinder to the other,

said sliders having thereon, knitting butts, transfer butts and, on at leastthose sliders correspond-g ing to the needles intended to be activeduring reciprocatory knitting, a series of additional butts, a main knitting cam system inv the bottom cam box for circular knitting, said cam system: comprising a withdrawable "main clearin cam,

a Withdrawable main stitch cam adaptedto be. rendered inactive, as. regards knitting; during position, an auxiliary knitting cam systemior reciprocatory knitting, jacks adapted normally to position the additional butts for engagement'with the auxiliary knittingv cam system, and picker mechanism having narrowing and widening pickers for controlling. the jacksand thereby-automatically narrowing and widening fabric for pouches the constructionand. arrangement being such that additional. buttszcorresponding with jacks influenced by the narrowing pickers are: permitted to assume an inoperative; position soas. to. avoid engagementwith thev auxiliary .cam:

system and when; thesame jacks areinfluenced by the widening picker, the correspondingv buttsarere-positioned for engagement' with: the last mentioned cam.system.. V r

7.. A combination accordingito-claim 6; where'- in: the forward and. reverse." raising cams. are adapted. so to position appropriate sliders. thatthe. corresponding needles assume a.-. position. higher than the. knocking-over: position, for. the purpose described;

8. In combination, in a. circular, knitting ma chine. of the kind adapted-tooperate periodically with rotary reciprocatory motionas' Well; as with rotary motion. for the purpose .of producing tu bular knitted fabric with pouches, a. rotary plain needle cylinder, a fixed::b.ottom cam box':surroundingsaid cylinder ,;a superimposect rotary rib needle cylinder, a series ofdouble-ended needlesfor operation: in; said. cylinders, sliders. for operating said needles and: enabling same tobe trans-.

ferred' from one:cylinder to the other, said sliders.

having thereon knittingbutts, transferbutts and, on. at. least those sliders. corresponding to the needlesintended tobe active during reci-procatory knitting, aseries. of additionalbutts, a mainzknitting. cam system in thebottom cam-box-for circular knitting, said.- cam system comprising; awithdrawable main clearing cam, awithdrawable main stitch cam: adapted: to be: rendered inactive;

as regards knitting, during reciprocatory knit-' ting so: asto enable inactiveneedles to go through the system without, reverting tothe knocking.- over position, a centre feed cam, clearing cams for action upon'knitting butts on: the sliders duringreciprocatory knitting. and forward and, reverse raisingcamsior action: upon the; said knitting butts. to cause: the aforesaid: needles which; are to be rendered inactive: during, reoipnocatory knitting to assume a, non-knitting. j positions an auxiliary. knitting: own system. for reciprocatory knitting, said last mentioned cam. system being located: below and in alignment. vertically ,with themain, knitting cam system and comprising forwardiand reverse stitclrca-ms and, on theoutside of. these,pivotallymounted. forward and; re-

verse clearing cams and fixed forward and reverse guard cams, jacks adapted normally to position the additional butts for engagement with the auxiliary knitting cam system, and picker mechanism having narrowing and widening pickers for controlling the jacks and thereby automatically narrowing and widening fabric for pouches, the construction and arrangement being such that additional butts corresponding with jacks influenced by the narrowing pickers are permitted to assume an inoperative position so as to avoid engagement with, the auxiliary cam system and when the same jacks are influenced by thewidening picker, the corresponding butts are re-positioned for engagement with the last mentioned cam system. 7 a

j 9. In combinatiomin a circular knitting machine of the kind adapted to operate periodically with rotary reciprocatory motion as well as with rotary motion for the purpose of producing tubular knitted fabric with pouches, a rotary plain needle cylinder, a fixed bottom cam box surrounding said cylinder, a superimposed rotary rib needle cylinder, a series of double-ended needles for operation in said cylinders, sliders for operating said needles and enabling same to be transferred from one cylinder to the other, said sliders being divided into instep and heel and toe groups respectively and having thereon knitting butts and transfer butts, the heel and toe group of sliders being also furnished with additional knitting butts, a main knitting cam system in the bottom cam box for circular knitting, said cam system comprising a withdrawable main clearing cam, 7a withdrawable main stitch cam adapted to be rendered inactive, as regards knitting, during reciprocatory knitting so as to, enable inactive needlesto go through the system without reverting to the knocking-over position, a centre feed cam, clearing cams for action upon'knitting butts on the sliders during reciprocatory knitting,

and forward and reverse raisingcams for action upon the said knitting butts to cause the aforesaid needles which 'are to-be rendered inactive during reciprocatory knittinglto assume a non-1 knitting position, an auxiliary knitting cam sys-,

tem for reciprocatory: knitting, picking. jacks which are provided below the heel and toe sliders and are themselves also furnished with butts, and narrowing and widening pickers for action upon the said butts on the picking jacks for the pur-. pose of controlling thelatter and thereby automatically narrowing and widening fabric for pouches, the said picking jacks being provided with extensions which are normally located be-v hind the corresponding sliders so that the additional butts thereon are normally projected for engagement with the auxiliary cam system, and the construction and arrangement being such that when the jacks are acted upon by the narrowing pickers said jacks are retracted so as to enable the corresponding heel and toe sliders to withdraw inwards, thus permitting their additional butts to avoid engagement with the auxiliary cam system, but when the same jacks are acted upon by the widening picker'theaforesaid heel and toe sliders are pushed outwardly to'reposition the additional butts; I

-' 10. A combination according to claim 9, wherein additional knitting butts are also provided on the instep sliders, and patterning jacks similar to the picking jacks are provided in conjunction with said instep sliders together with cams constructed,ar ranged and adapted to operate under pattern control suchwise as to enable needles to be selectively transferred from one cylinder to the other, and needles to be selectively operated for patterning purposes during, circular knitting, in addition to the control of the heel and toe needles as and for the purpose described, during reciprocatory knitting.

11. In combination, in a circular knitting machine of the kind adapted to operate periodically with rotary reciprocatory motion as well as with rotary motion for the purpose of producing tubular knitted fabric with pouches, a rotary plain needle cylinder, a fixed bottom cam box surrounding said cylinder, a superimposed rotary rib needle cylinder, a series of double-ended needles for operation in said cylinders, sliders for operating said needles and enabling same to be transferred from one cylinder to the other, said sliders being divided into instep and heel and toe groups respectively and having thereon knitting butts, transfer butts and additional knitting butts, a main knitting cam system in the bottom cam box for circular knitting, said cam system comprising a withdrawable main clearing cam, a withdrawable main stitch cam adapted to be rendered inactive, as regards knitting, during reciprocatory knitting so as to enable inactive needles to go through the system without reverting to the knocking-over postion, a centre feed cam, clearing cams for action upon knitting butts on the sliders during reciprocatory knitting, and forward and reverse raising cams for action upon the said knitting butts to cause the aforesaid needles which are to be-rendered inactive during reciprocatroy knitting to assume a non-knitting position, an auxiliary knitting cam system for reciprocatory knitting, picking jacks which are provided below the heel and toe sliders and are themselves also furnished with butts, narrowing and widening pickers for action upon the said butts on the picking jacks for the purpose of controlling the latter and thereby automatically narrowing and widening fabric for pouches, the said picking jacks being provided with extensions which are normally located behind the corresponding sliders sothat the additional butts thereon are normally projected for engagement with the auxiliary cam system, and the construction and arrangement being such that when the jacks are acted upon by the narrowing pickers said jacks are retracted so as to enable the corresponding heel and toe sliders to withdraw inwards, thus permitting their additional butts to avoid engagement with the auxiliary cam system, but when the same jacks are acted uponby the widening picker the aforesaid heel and toe sliders are pushed outwardly to re-position the additional butts, a presser cam, each of the jacks in the two groups beinginitially provided with a full complement of patterning butts and those patterning butts on the instep jacks at the level of the presser cam being removed while the pat terning butts at the same level on the picking jacks are left on, the arrangement being such that preparatory to the making of a heel and toe pouch the presser cam functionsto act upon the instep jacks suchwise asto-enabl them to be rendered inactivethereby leaving only the picking jacks to be acted upon by the 'na'rrowing and widening pickers. 1 l

12. In combination, in a circular knitting machine of the kind adapted to operate periodically with rotary reciprocatory motion as well as-with rotary motion for the purpose of producing tubular knitted fabric with pouches, a rotary plain needle cylinder, a fixed bottom cam box surrounding said cylinder, Ia superimposed rotary rib needle cylinder, a series of double-ended needles for operation in said cylinders, sliders for operating said needles and enabling same to be transferred from one cylinder to the other, said sliders being divided into instep and heel and toe groups respectively and having thereon knitting butts, transfer butts and additional knitting butts, a main knitting cam system in the bottom cam box for circular knitting, said cam system comprising a withdrawable main clearing cam, a withdrawa-ble main stitch cam adapted to be rendered inactive, as regards knitting, during reciprocatory knitting so as to enable inactive needles to go through the system without reverting to the knocking-over position, a centre feed cam, clearing cams for action upon knitting butts on the sliders during reciprocatory knitting, and forward and reverseraising cams for action upon the said knitting butts to cause the aforesaid nee- I with the auxiliary cam system, and the construction and arrangement being such that when the 'jacks are acted upon by the narrowing pickers said jacks are retracted so as to enable the corresponding heel and toe sliders to withdraw in wards, thus permitting their additional butts to avoid engagement with the auxiliary cam system, but when the same jacks are acted upon by the widening picker the aforesaid heel and toe sliders are pushed outwardly to re-position the additional butts, each of the jacks in the two groups being initially provided with a full complement of patterning butts, abank of presser elements for action selectively upon said patterning butts to effect a selection of the jacks, a cam for raising selected jacks, and a further cam for engagement with the sliders corresponding to selected jacks, said last mentioned cam being adapted to initiate transference of selected needles upwardly from the vbottom needle cylinder to the top needle cylinder.

13. In combination, in a circular knitting machine of the kind adapted to operate periodically with rotary reciprocatory motion as well as with rotary motion for the purpose of producing tubular knitted fabric with pouches, a rotary plain cam box for circular knitting, said cam system comprising a withdrawable main clearing cam, a withdrawable main stitch cam adapted to be rendered inactive, as regards knitting, during re-" ciprocatory knitting so as to enable inactive needles to go through the system without reverting to the knocking-over position, a centre feed cam, clearing cams for action upon knitting butts on the sliders during reciprocatory knitting, and forward and reverse raising cams for action upon the said knitting butts to cause the aforesaid needles which are to be rendered inactive during reciprocatory knitting to assume a non-knitting position, an auxiliary knitting cam system for reciprocatory knitting, picking jacks which are provided below the heel and toe sliders and are themselves also furnished with butts, narrowing and widening pickers for action upon the said butts on the picking jacks for the purpose of controlling the latter and thereby automatically narrowing and widening fabric for pouches, the said picking jacks being provided with extensions which are normally located behind the corresponding sliders so that the additional butts thereon are normally projected for engagement with the auxiliary cam system, and the construction and arrangement being such that when the jacks are acted upon by the narrowing pickers said jacks are retracted so as to enable the corresponding heel and toe sliders to withdraw inwards, thus permitting their additional butts to avoid engagement with the auxiliary camsystem, but when the same jacks are acted upon by the widening picker the aforesaid heel and toe sliders are pushed outwardly to re-position the additional butts, each of the jacks in the two groups being initially provided with a full complement of patterning butts, a bank of presser elements for action selectively upon said patterning butts to effect a selection of the jacks, a cam for raising selected jacks, and a further cam for engagement with the sliders corresponding to selected jacks, said last mentioned cam being adapted to effect separation of the normal knit ting butts on the appropriate sliders, for the purpose specified.

' HENRY HAROLD HOLMES.

ALFRED PERCY SAUNDERS. 

